Jane’s Journey Hereafter

Jane’s Journey is about my transition into an adventure within my “hereafter” or my “from now on” of this big, new and unknown space and a place called retirement. I am sharing my experiences to give wisdom and help when it is your time and also hear from you if you have already found your place and space in your hereafter of retirement.

Retirement – The realizing and engaging of times, ideas and realms of possibility that your heart looks for and your mind images but never tasted of, until now on.

I have worked in corporate America since 1972. Yikes I know, that is a long time, and it has gone way too fast. My career has been an investment in three companies and over thirteen titles. I have been blessed by many great co-workers and overseers along with a few generous mentors. It is now time to close the door, and take all that I have learned and experienced to turn and step into my hereafter.

Over the last 2 years, of reading daily about preparing for retirement, how to spend my time in retirement, what not to think about in retirement and many many more titles of books, blogs, and podcasts. I am encouraged that so many people understand we all will look for “aid-factors” when the “hereafter” draws close to our workstation, cubicle or office.

Through my reading, I become drawn to the farmhouse movement. I subscribe to the magazine about the movement and as soon as I get it, I read it cover to cover. Why I am drawn does not matter, the fact that I probably will never really abide in that movement, does not matter. What does matter, is that it stirs me and gives me hope of something grand, exciting, different and fulfilling that is waiting for me in my hereafter.

This is my why. Why I want to tell the story of Jane’s Journey in the hereafter of retirement. I want to inspire, stir, awaken and encourage us all to engage with what is in your heart to enjoy and with the simplicity of crafting your hereafter daily, as it becometh you.

Here are some “aid-factors” I learned from friends and family going “there” before me.

• It is never too late to prepare for retirement.
• It is impossible to be completely prepared because it is a journey.
• Don’t compare your planned retirement to social media.

It is never to late to prepare for retirement. My older brother, that had retired several years ago, and I were at a family gathering and I shared the reality that due to life challenges and circumstances in my midlife years, my retirement preparation did not happen. He could tell that it was a real concern to me now and that I was feeling that it is too late.

He was silent for a bit and then looked right into my eyes and said, “Janie, it is never too late to prepare for retirement”, it is like any other life change that you don’t get preparation for, you know now so act now, and act according to what you know as truth now, not the truth of then.”

The light went on in my heart that it was not too late, it is just a different kind of preparation. I was feeling hopeless because I knew I was not able to make the preparation I would have at thirty, but I can prepare in light of my life today. The weight was lifted, and my preparation began.

My brother’s words worked like a can opener, ripping off the unrealistic hope while applying the hope of my ability today to prepare.

It is impossible to be completely prepared because it is a journey. As a strategic planner by profession and nature, I desire to make provision for all scenarios, but the counsel of a mentor of mine showed me the flaw of my approach.

I planned a trip with my friend and I took care of everything that pertained to the trip. Reservations paid. Car rental paid. Meal ticket paid. It was one of those all included trips, no need to pay for anything on the trip. As we were packing, she asked: “how much cash do you have?” I responded, everything is paid for, so I am just taking $20.00 for gum or something. She looked at me and said, “You are great at preparation for anything you do, but this journey holds unknowns that you need to be ok with.” The same is preparing for the journey of retirement. Yes, prepare. Yes, prepare well. But be ok with the truth that the journey will hold unknowns, no matter the preparation.

Don’t compare your planned retirement to social media. Oh so true, so true. In the socially affected world we live in, it can be hard not to compare. Comparing homes, children, careers, bodies, wealth, and many other personal areas against what we see in our feeds, blogs or listen to in the podcast community, can be harmful if we allow it.

That is the key if we allow it. It is not the fault of the one providing the social media, it is the consumer of the information that is responsible to keep it in the right perspective.

I have been following an amazing leader on social media for about ten years and watch the growth and influence of his social platform with great interest and investment on my part. In those ten years, his work has had an amazingly positive impact on the way I worked and lived. I spoke so much about the person, my friends knew his work and had never directly participated in it.

Then the influence and impart took a turn about two years ago, I started to feel differently about what he spoke on as a leader and I decided to stop partaking of his work. After a few months, a friend asked me why I stopped and I explained that he was getting full of himself and his success and it was really bugging me.

My friend looked at me and said, “Really?” Friends, that really was full of many questions. Every time I tried to give a response to my friend, I could not. Many answers ran through my head, but at that moment, it was meet with a statement of truth that I could not negate.

• He acts like everyone has the money to do what he is doing.
• Truth statement: No, he has always and still is just sharing what he is doing without comparison.
• He is not in touch with the reality of the lives of other people.
• Truth statement: No, he has always reached a level of management that was not what you were, but it still helped you.
• Truth statement: No it is not him, it is you are comparing your life to his because you know your retirement years will never be like his, but neither was his life at any time in those ten years.

My coming change of life (being retired) caused me to partake in his work differently, and I was blaming him. After that day, I returned to enjoying his work and using what will work for me without comparison.

These “aid-factors” are just a few and I know you have your own that have helped you in your “hereafter” or are preparing you for that coming transition into retirement. Feel free to share your own aid factors below.

Until next time, remember we craft our legacy daily, do it as it becometh you.